‘All right, here’s what we’re going to do,’ Callie asserted, her voice filled with a sense of urgency. ‘Wendy, go talk to the soldiers who brought the patient in. See if they have any idea about what bit him. Jeanette, keep monitoring his condition and call us immediately if anything changes.’Callie then assigned Angelia to conduct a PCR test, a sophisticated diagnostic tool that could detect specific spider venom components in the patient’s blood or tissue samples.Turning to Craig, Callie said, ‘Let’s hit the medical records room. We’ll comb through the computerised database for any patients with similar symptoms in the past.’The team dispersed, each focused on their assigned tasks.Angelia hurried to the laboratory to begin the Polymerase Chain Reaction test, while Callie and Craig headed to the medical records room.Seconds ticked away, and no one dared to slow down even one bit.As they scrolled through the database, Craig’s sharp eyes honed in on a promising entry. ‘I think th
As Angelia returned to the health centre, she played her part to perfection, breathless and anxious.Her words trembled as she recounted her supposed attempt to find Callie. ‘I... ran as fast as I could. I wanted... to catch up with... Callie... but I didn’t... see her at all. Maybe she went a different way. I had no choice... I don’t know what else to do.’She might not be a professional actress, but her act was convincing enough to raise concerns among her colleagues.Even Wendy fell for the act.Deeply worried for both the poisoned soldier and Callie’s safety, Wendy urged Craig to report the situation immediately.Fear and desperation gripped her heart, and she couldn’t bear the thought of losing her friend and colleague.With a sense of responsibility, Craig took charge and swiftly reported the matter to the principal’s office.Wendy wanted to rush out and search for Callie herself, but she needed to stay to monitor the patient’s condition.Jeanette was on the phone, trying to get
The ground seemed to tremble beneath her, and her instincts screamed at her to freeze in place.Callie’s gaze darted downward, and her eyes widened in horror as she saw what she had stepped on—an old landmine, its ominous presence now exposed.The device was a lethal relic of the past, waiting silently to be triggered by any unsuspecting weight applied to its pressure plate.The landmine was small but deadly, consisting of a dull metallic body with rusted edges.Its surface bore the scars of time, evidence of years spent buried beneath the earth.Callie could see the pressure plate, a slightly raised section in the centre of the mine, surrounded by an array of wires and an arming mechanism.She took a deep, shaky breath, trying to steady herself as panic threatened to overtake her.The danger was real, and she knew one wrong move could cost her life.Her heart raced, and her mind raced even faster, searching for a way out of this perilous situation.The pressure plate stared back at h
Every second that passed without finding Callie intensified his anxiety.The worry weighed on Elias like a heavy burden, and he couldn’t help but imagine the worst possible scenarios.Thoughts of her injured or trapped preyed on his mind, and he couldn’t shake off the feeling of helplessness.But he refused to give up.Elias knew he had to keep searching, keep calling her name, keep pushing through the brush.He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her, not after everything they had been through together.As he called out her name once more, his voice wavered with exhaustion. ‘Callie... Please, answer me!’His feet felt like lead, and the terrain seemed to grow more treacherous with each step.But he pushed forward, determination overriding the fatigue in his body.He couldn’t stop now; he had to find her.With every passing moment, Elias’s worry escalated.His thoughts became a jumble of memories they had shared, their laughter, their dreams for the future.The fear of losing her thre
Angelia headed upstairs into a lab to process the herb with the help of Craig.She worked swiftly and skilfully, extracting the precious antivenom from the Qilin Spiderbane.She then prepared the antidote and carefully administered it to the patient’s bloodstream.She monitored his vital signs closely, and her heart soared with relief as she saw his condition gradually improving.The patient’s breathing became steadier, and his previously erratic pulse started to stabilize.He would survive, thanks to the lifesaving antivenom.As she tended to the soldier, Wendy hurried into the examination room, her eyes filled with concern. ‘Angelia, you have to come see Callie. She’s in the other ward. She passed out after she came back.’Angelia rose reluctantly.Following Wendy to the other ward, Angelia approached Callie’s sleeping form.She examined her carefully, noting the scrapes and superficial injuries on her hands and legs.‘She’s just exhausted,’ Angelia said. ‘The injuries are mostly mi
Wendy’s body stiffened, and she avoided making direct eye contact with Callie.She busied herself with collecting the empty tray, trying to evade the question. ‘It’s very late, Callie. You should get more rest,’ she said, her voice slightly uneasy.Callie’s suspicions were aroused by Wendy’s evasiveness. ‘Wendy, what’s wrong? Please, tell me the truth,’ she pleaded, her heart beginning to race.Wendy hesitated for a moment, torn between her desire to protect Callie and the need to be honest.‘Well... maybe you should wait until you’re back on your feet,’ Wendy suggested, trying to buy some time.An ominous feeling washed over Callie, and she could no longer contain her anxiety.With a trembling voice, she asked, ‘Did something happen to Elias?’Wendy let out a sigh, knowing that she couldn’t keep the truth hidden any longer. ‘Yes, he’s unconscious. He’s lying in a ward next door,’ she finally admitted.Callie’s heart constricted. ‘What happened to him?’Wendy shook her head, her eyes
‘You’re no innocent bunny,’ Lemuel seethed. ‘You’re a burden whose wilful acts drag others into danger while you remain blissfully unaware!’Callie was taken aback by the sudden onslaught of accusations. ‘I don’t understand,’ she protested, her voice shaking. ‘How am I responsible for what happened?’Lemuel’s rage surged, and he fought the urge to lash out physically at the woman before him.He took several deep breaths, trying to control his emotions.‘Both Elias and Private First Class Travis Campeau were injured because of you!’ he shouted, his voice sharp and filled with bitterness. ‘Every soldier who ventured out into that minefield this morning and risked their lives was because of you!’Callie’s mind raced, trying to make sense of Lemuel’s words. ‘I didn’t ask anyone to come looking for me,’ she defended herself. ‘I didn’t even know they were coming!’Lemuel’s frustration boiled over. ‘Drop the act!’ he snapped. ‘If you hadn’t rushed out into the minefield without protective ge
Callie was drenched from head to toe, strands of her hair sticking to her forehead.She was still wearing the same white lab coat she had on that morning, now smudged with dirt and bits of grass, and thoroughly soaked by the rain.Concerned, Wendy hurriedly made her way outside. ‘Callie, what are you doing out here? You’ll catch a cold!’ she called out, but Callie seemed oblivious to her surroundings.Her face was ghostly pale, her eyes open but distant, as if lost in a world of her own.Ignoring the rain pouring down on her, Wendy rushed towards Callie. ‘Callie, it’s me, Wendy! Snap out of it!’ she exclaimed, grabbing Callie’s shoulders and shaking her gently.But Callie’s eyes remained glazed over, and she didn’t respond.With growing worry, Wendy noticed a cut on the sole of Callie’s right foot, but she seemed completely unaffected by the pain.Barefoot and disoriented, Callie continued to wander aimlessly in the rain.‘Callie, please, come back to us,’ Wendy pleaded, her voice tin